Pirate
On the galactic stage, a pirate - as it concerns - is an individual, or more often a group of individuals, that typically act on their own means and travel space in a vessel with a call sign (a sequence that acts as an identifier for regulation purposes) that is not approved by any sanctioned political or military faction, like the Federation. Whether or not they are acknowledged as committing the actual act of piracy, an unverified call sign (or even lack of), which at such point is colloquially called a "Jolly Roger", is usually enough to garner the attention of factions and divisions like the Federation Navy, but not necessarily achieve official notoriety or a bounty until there is grounds to do so. As independent agents or criminals, their nature and structure sets them apart in classification from other potentially similar kinds of rogue individuals, such as assassins, bounty hunters, or syndicate operatives. Thieves that operate beyond a single world may also be considered pirates. Characteristics Pirates are most marked by their ability and tendency to intercept ships and subsequently lay claim to its cargo or sometimes the ship itself and its people. Monetary value of captured goods is a significant goal, but direct practicality of an object is also taken into consideration. Pirates seldom store and conceal their wealth in bulk away from the ship, due to the potential need of immediate trade, unless due to storage issues not all can be contained. Various crews have hideouts/strongholds or even turn to pirate-allied intermediaries to resolve these issues. While their actions are often inherently illegal, there is a wide moral spectrum among pirate crews and their actions. While pirates are considered in some areas of space to be ruthless and cutthroat, no more than a group of petty thieves and killers, others may have a moral standard to avoid taking lives or restrict themselves to certain catches, such as the rich or overly privileged. Some may not even actively seek the act of piracy, rather than act under the freedom of holding no allegiance that could be considered legal. There are also privateers, those sanctioned by governments for their actions (see below). On occasion, and depending on their respective standards, pirates have been hired for their goods and services by clients to act as temporary smugglers, bounty hunters or mercenaries, and in doing so they may illegally ship goods or people, apprehend targets or use their talents for protection, all under the pretenses that they are well paid. Cyberwarfare Regardless of how the pirates act in attitude, one of the almost-universal assets in a pirate's arsenal is the ability to use cyberwarfare to attack the spacecraft they aim to raid. By seizing control of the ship's defenses and life-support systems without damaging the ship herself, they are given one big step in safe passage to board the craft, access her cargo or assume absolute control of the vessel. Jolly Roger Transponders are devices that been long used to emit signals as identifiers for interrogating spacecraft, historically connected to the flourishing of galactic society by opening up the once-considered vast emptiness of space. The U.C.G.S. has long since discerned friend from foe through transponder signals, and the term jolly roger came into use as a general alternative slang term, but moreso to describe craft deemed and archived as unverified and thus flying illegally. It turned into a signal of pride for space pirates to "raise the jolly roger" of their ships for any craft they were about to board; pirate crews (namely through their cyberwarfare specialists) are often able to conceal their signals or even falsify them as that of a friendly entity (such as a U.C.G.S. vessel) until they wish to be made known proper. Of course, along with the practicality of this form of jolly roger, many pirates if not most tie an aesthetic emblem representative of their physical jolly roger to their ship IDs. Types of Pirates There are a number of types of classification that space pirates tend to fall under, depending on their nature and roles. Officially, the Federation has noted four types, I to IV, and the most common are coined as Voleurs and Voyageurs, while there are also Privateers and Corsairs. Type I: Voleur A "Voleur" is a pirate or crew of pirates that act on the intention of committing piracy out of direct desire and power and wealth, with greed often as the top motivator, to achieve ambitions through force and violence, with less regard for who else gets hurt or killed. These are officially recognized as threats, usually ones with the higher bounties, and receive the most opposition from the Federation Navy. The most notorious Voleurs in recent memory are nearly the entire powerful race of Kraga, whose lifestyle is wholly based around survival through conquest, and they have limited allies as a result. Type II: Voyageur A "Voyageur" is a pirate or crew that is more content with an ambitious lifestyle of adventure, where greed is not the top driving factor, and thus they tend to act on a different moral basis. They may seek a higher status in the galaxy without committing to a government or using absolute (lethal) force to obtain it, as a Voleur might. Stealing is not out of the question, but their lives are hardly based on it, especially not against civilians. They are not unknown to cause trouble that does not fall in favor of Federation or other governments, but they do not keep to the same criminal level as a Voleur. Voyageur captains are more likely to place greater value on their crewmen. Often by clashes of morals, Voyageurs and Voleurs tend to not get along with one another, and Voyageurs may steal from Voleurs. The Stormwind Pirates usually are Voyageurs when they're not Corsairs. Type III: Privateer Less common, the "Privateers" are pirates, often originally falling under Type I or II but have since allied themselves with and operate under sanction from a government through private contract, even the Federation, through some form of a letter of marque. Through it, their registration/Jolly Roger will usually be approved by their contractor. Their agenda is often in line with their government, but by technicality not being an official aspect of the government they tend to hold more freedom in their actions. The risks Privateers take often depends on how likely they are going to be noticed by the government for it. Should they go against the government's desires and be found out, they might have their letter of marque rendered invalid, and not be contacted henceforth. Type IV: Corsair Similar to privateers, the "Corsairs" are pirates that are affiliated with, and take some directives from a government authority. However, they also not bound by official contract, or perhaps are given a different type of letter of marque, and their call sign isn't officially verified. This means that Corsairs are in a blurry neutral zone by which they are more free to openly do what they wish while taking an occasional assignment from their benefactor. However, if they step over an undesired line and are acknowledged for it, like Privateers they would also fall out of contact. The Crimson Corsairs are, naturally, Type IV, and the Stormwind Pirates are also Corsairs for a time with the Federation. Both privateers and corsairs may have the fortune of receiving aid from their governments, like Naval support in extreme situations. Power and Hierarchy Many solo pirate crews are spread across space: some occupy a certain zone or quadrant, while others are consistent wayfarers, and numbers can extend from a crew aboard a single main vessel, or massive crews split into divisions and numerous vessels and captains, united by one Captain-Commander. However, the strength and power of pirates systematically grows upon approaching the heart of this society; Grand Pirate Capital Vhengati. The Orion Magnate Alliance, considered the five most powerful pirate crews of Types I and II in the galaxy, if not the whole galactic cluster. Usually allied together, they claim and command large expanses of space, while making the planet Vhengati their primary stronghold, and have enough authority to keep the Federation at arm's length. Background Since the dawn of spacefaring activity, there have always been pirates to an extent, and conflict was natural. Such individuals would scour relatively local areas for targets, and certain areas became more susceptible to piracy. The United Confederation for Galactic Stability held a vice on certain areas that, along with the occasional bad decision on their part, that piracy wasn't a farflung course to take. It was when the Kraga had arrived the galaxy, causing a veritable firestorm, that the Age of Orion, or Rift Age took space piracy to a rooted position. A legendary captain called Orion was the first to strike against the Kraga, as well as be the first pirate to be renowned throughout the galactic community. When Vhengati, freshly liberated of Kraga insurgents, became the center of Orion's territory, it also had its status sealed as a permanent magnet for space pirates without burden of Federation control. Soon, other powerful pirate crews gathered with Orion at Vhengati, forming a conglomerate that would come to be known as the Orion Magnate Alliance. Vhengati became their stronghold, and they had issued a recommended official pirate code for others to follow in example: not fixed laws, but guidelines; codes of honor to ensure stablity among pirates. They were words for a golden age, a time for the modern pirate communal structure. Because of these actions, Vhengati served at the heart of a movement which made space piracy more or less a permanent fixture. Individuals no longer needed the reason of necessity or government/military resentment to set out into space piracy, but the more romantic motivations of exploration, freedom, wealth and prestige all became viable. Pirate Code The code of conduct that Orion established to was largely a revival from much older articles, updated and altered for the contemporary state. It was felt that many bases were covered to enstate a sense of order among pirates, without swearing to laws of the government. It promoted disputes within the crew to be settled non-lethally and downplayed the specifics of discipline, leaving it open to the decision of superiors. Pirates under the umbrella of the Orion Magnate Alliance are expected to respect these codes, but not every space pirate in the galaxy pays mind to the code to a T. Some may alter their codes or disregard codes altogether and operate in anarchy. Some use the original code as the template for rewriting their own. #Each individual shall heed the orders of the Captain, but each individual as a right to opinion and a vote in affairs, to make a statement if desired. ##The Captain of a fleet is the Captain-Commander, the only position of authority above the Captain of a ship. #Each individual is entitled to their equal share of provisions, including essentials from raids. The Captain on a ship retains 15% of monetary gain from each raid, the First Mate or Quartermaster 10%, the Watchman, Gunner, Helmsman (or Boatswain), Navigator and Medic 8% each, and the remaining fraction shall be divvied among remaining personnel. ##Additional requests of monetary compensation for justified needs must be brought to the First Mate or Quartermaster and then approved by the Captain. ##A Captain-Commander is entitled to request 3% share taxed from each Captain under their authority. ##Except for the Captain-Commander's tax, each ship has right to their well-earned spoils. #No individual may steal another comrade's monetary gain. #No individuals may gamble onboard for money received after a raid. #No individual should strike their comrade-in-arms. ##Disputes can be ultimately settled off the ship by which the First Mate or Quartermaster administers a non-lethal duel. The dueling personnel face back-to-back with cutlasses in hand, pace, turn and engage; the first to draw blood is the victor. ##Killing another during a duel will not be tolerated. #Prostitution is not permitted on board. ##Prostituting someone too young to think for themself, whether on or off board, is grounds to be reported to any superior. #An individual is entitled to the condition of their own sidearm(s). Any issue that cannot be personally resolved should be brought to the attention of the Gunner or Armorer immediately. #No individual may desert during combat without approval of the Captain and First Mate or Quartermaster. #No individual may permanently desert the ship without approval of the Captain. #An individual injured during combat or operation in a way that impedes functions (such as fractured limbs, dismemberment, disfigurement) is entitled to a share of compensation and medical leave. #A prisoner may not be treated cruelly or brutally, such as through extreme interrogation, at the least without the Captain's approval and presence of the First Mate or Quartermaster. #No individual, under any circumstance except the most unthinkable, has the right to take the life of a comrade-in-arms. #Failure to comply with one or more of any of the above articles is likely subject to punishment on behalf of the Captain and First Mate or Quartermaster. The scale of punishment is subjective, and should only peak at expulsion save special circumstances. #A Captain should only be forcibly removed from their post through rule of vote, in which the First Mate or Quartermaster presides as judge, the crew jury, and the offending Captain their own defence. A Captain should ideally respect whatever verdict is dealt to them. Crew Roles Pirates crews typically lack full formal rank and position on their own crew. Thus, designations will vary from ship to ship. However, any ship's crew has obligations to maintain moral and practical integrity of operations and day-to-day life. At an ideal crew strength, there are enough crewmen to divvy up the responsibility, some more essential than others. As a result, titles are assumed. Common roles include, but are not limited to... Captain The captain, the most formal position, is the commander of a vessel, and is also often the most powerful - both physically and in status - of the pirate crew. They represent that which they command and are responsible for their well-being of the ship, the crewmen, and their assets. The captain is in charge of most major decisions, typically delivering the final say on them. Achieving captain status comes primarily out of leadership, whether they are the founding member, or perhaps voted into the status by the rest of the crew - sometimes to replace the unfavored current captain. Some standards and traditions may state that the permanent replacement as captain be a direct descendant to the previous, proceeding in the event of the captain's untimely demise or resignation. Others may pit the first officer at this permanent role. Greater pirate crews can reach such numbers as to require a captain per additional vessel in the fleet. Starting at first captain, then second captain, third captain and onward, they all answer to the captain above all. Occasionally the captain in this situation may formally ''be called the '''captain-commander'. First Mate The''' first mate', also known as '''chief mate' or first officer, is the top officer on a ship below the captain. A key role, they tend to be strong and hold a handful of duties. They only have to answer to the captain, and they sometimes tend to be physically the second-most powerful; second only to the captain. The first mate essentially is the captain's right-hand man, chosen by the captain out of trust; they are next to make decisions aboard the ship. They take command when the captain is off deck or unable to lead, and on specific occasion they may step up into the captain status if the previous captain dies, if standards provice. The first mate's primary obligations are in overseeing cargo and maintaining stability of the ship. They are supervisors to the crew, in charge of the welfare, and occasional direct advisors to captain. They also generally dually act as a chief engineer, giving orders on internal operations, and are keen on general safety protocol. Greater crews may also have a second mate and even a third mate to cover ground, answering to only those above them. Quartermaster A more seldom seen role in times of space piracy. As they are also considered the second highest member of the crew, more often than not, the quartermaster and the first mate are often one and the same, and both are usually not present except for perhaps on some of the largest pirate crews. The importance of the quartermaster's presence is to buffer and divvy authority and decision-making, so that the captain does not hold power absolute, as well as assets and treasure among the rest of the crew. On some crews the quartermaster may hold as much authority as the captain itself. The quartermaster helps maintain peace and order within the crew itself and tends to lead boarding parties. The quartermaster often decides what else ought to be taken and how much, besides treasure with monetary value; if a pirate crew opts to keep the ship they've boarded than the quartermaster tends to effectively become the captain of that ship. As inferred, some duties may cross over to that of the first mate where the role of the quartermaster is not established. Watchman A vital role aboard the ship in terms of operation and safety, the watchman is sometimes the next in line of the given command hierarchy. The watchman's role is observing the space outside of the ship, vigilant on potential threats, identifying nearby elements - other ships included - and assuring safe passage via sensory technology. They issue orders to the helmsman (or helmsmen) and are also in charge of cyberwarfare, the act of attacking other vessels through remote electronic hacking, as well as defend from it. A key point in piracy is to always have the capacity to strike the electronics of other ships and ultimately seize the life support systems and thus control of the ship, and the watchman is the one to insure it. At times, the fate of the crew may hang in the balance on their perfomance. Hacker Some ships may split the cyberwarfare duty away from those of the watchman, leaving it up to a hacker to deal with breaching systems and protecting from them. Hackers are often particularly keen such field, able to decipher and manipulate any necessary code to their advantage. Helmsman A helmsman's duty is to be the pilot of the ship, and it is recommended that there is at least one committed to the task. They maintain the control of the ship and assure that voyage is going as plotted, ready to take more dire control at a given notice, as well as report the course to the crew on deck. The helmsman is responsible at the front for safe navigation, as well as safe docking operation. Boatswain When the first mate or quartermaster is in a position of too much responsibility, a boatswain or bosun might be a present role. Their duty is to be in charge of the supply stores, and to routinely inspect the condition of the ship and report to the captain, as well as oversee and support the helmsman and all bridge activities. Navigator While the helmsman is in charge of carrying out navigation, the navigator is the one in charge of plotting out this course in the first place, and they make sure the helmsman is maintaining this course. They are the architect of the voyage, and they typically have exceptional knowledge in navigation and layouts, as well as awareness of their ship's limits. They tend to work hand-in-hand with onboard virtual intellgence. Medic The doctor, or medic, is a role of life support status for any crew, let alone pirates; they tend to and oversee the health and well-being of the sick and injured officers, and usually have their designated space to do so. A medic has substantial knowledge in medical procedures and remedies, or should at least have the knowledge to get by. It also helps if they have the skill and assets to tend to injuries sustained on the field, or are otherwise able to act accordingly. Cook While any given pirate may be able to prepare a meal, it is important for a crew to have a designated cook, aka chef or mess officer, to prepare meals for the entire crew, as well as maintain the kitchen/mess hall, keeping it operable and well-stocked. A cook usually needs to have an eye towards culinary, able to keep their crewmen satisfied and father morale. It does not hurt if they are skilled in combat and self-defense as well. The cook is a popular role on such vessels, and some businesses benefit in lending out chefs to pirate crews. Gunner A gunner on a pirate crew is the one to handle and maintain the condition of the ship's artillery, offensive and defensive where it applies. They may also fire the manual or semi-manual weaponry. When electronic combat is not an option, it is important that the cannons are kept in check for more direct space naval warfare. The gunner is also often the ship's chief tactical officer, with the mind to back the goods and oversee the crew in strategical and combat situations. A gunner's likely proficiency in weapons mechanics and gunmanship, may likely coincide and cross over with... Armorer The armorer, also known as the blacksmith, is one that oversees the condition of their crew's weaponry, armor and equipment, to keep everything in prime condition for close engagements. They are skilled in repairing utilities and can also build or customize new weapons. As the title would also imply, armorers are in charge of the ship's armory. Engineer Engineers '''specialize in the internal workings of the ship. They maintain and repair the engines, defense and life support systems, and thus must be proficient in - well - engineering, and understanding mechanics. They may be pivotal to the ultimate condition of the ship, and the last line of defense against takeover due to cyberwarfare. A crew can have multiple engineers simultaneously, and they answer to the first mate. An engineer can also be a... Shipwright Also known as the carpenter, the '''shipwright is directly committed to the condition of the ship as well, to repair and reinforce when necessary. They should also be capable of handling and building smaller spacecraft that can be separate from the mother vessel. The shipwright also typically reports to the first mate, or the boatswain if the role is assumed. Treasurer The treasurer (aka merchant) oversees the funds and obtaining new assets and earnings for the crew. The treasurer keeps score for every bit of new gain from a successful raid, and they are in charge of purchasing new cargo and replenishing supplies. Scholar A broad umbrella sort of term, a scholar '''is any crewman who specializes in research and analysis, well versed and educated in general; the go-to expert for in-depth information as well as scientific procedure that the onboard computer intelligence cannot provide. The scholar can be of a variety of specialities, depending on their field of work, and can provide a pirate crew with unique advantages. They tend to be in charge of the science lab if there is one on the ship. Infiltrator '''Infiltrators, or spies, are field agents for pirates that often act with or under the crew's watchman. They are deployed to extract information or steal targeted objects covertly and discreetly. They often need to be skilled at hacking or otherwise bypassing electronic defenses that a watchman or bridge hacker fails to reach, as well as being athletically fit for sake of maneuverability. Musician Historically, anyone who could play an instrument got by lucky among pirates, as they were able to provide entertainment among the crew between battles, and inspire the crew before and during them. In a time when technology can better remedy boredom, having a music is less a desire or a necessity, but anyone musically-inclined is still respectable. Infantry The bulk of many pirate crews, the infantry notes most who do not fall into a particular position on the ship. They may not have a particular skillset, but being infantry does not immediately denote weakness. They are often main muscle of the crew and will assist other crewmen as ordered, and a prerequisites are often simply loyalty and willingness. Cabin (Servants) Cabin boys or cabin girls are typically rookie or apprentice pirates, those that have joined, stowed away or potentially abducted and have yet to be tested as trustworthy pirates. They will perform basic chores and labor aboard the ship, often of janitorial nature, and may occasionally be sent to run errands and ordered to assist others. They basically answer to everybody else on the ship. Category:Pirates Category:Concepts Category:Occupations